


See you again

by Yunami_Udon



Series: The Promises [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, But it's like time-travel, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Obi-Wan Kenobi Has PTSD, Obi-Wan Kenobi Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:20:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28142256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yunami_Udon/pseuds/Yunami_Udon
Summary: Ben and a little boy, Anakin, became family after their adopted father passed away.Even though Ben had a family and good friends, he has a feeling that something is missing.He had been waiting for someone.
Relationships: CC-2224 | Cody & Obi-Wan Kenobi, CC-2224 | Cody/Obi-Wan Kenobi, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker
Series: The Promises [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2016956
Comments: 4
Kudos: 44





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> ※Warning?※  
> This story starts with a scene of the Qui-gon-ish person's funeral.

Ben, a young man dressed all in black, was standing in front of a grave that of his adopted father. 

He was looking down the tombstone with empty eyes. The funeral was just over, but he didn’t feel like it really happened yet. 

Under the gray sky, the flowers left on the grave looked vibrant oddly. 

He was the one who adopted Ben when he was 13 years old.

Ben knew that someday he would be apart from him forever, but he never expected that it would come so soon.

“He said he would be my family.”

The boy standing next to Ben said with a small voice.

Ben looked at him and saw the blonde boy’s eyes were filled with tears.

His name was Anakin. After a few years that Ben passed the college entrance exam and left the house, his adopted father adopted another boy. Shortly after that, he passed away suddenly, and he left his new son.

Anakin started sobbing. 

“But now, he is… gone. I have no family. Where should I go? What will happen to me now?”

“You’re not going anywhere. You will live with me.”

Ben squatted down to the child’s eye level and wiped Anakin's tears with his hand.

“We lost him, but I’ll take care of you. I will be your family, I promise.”

Ben looked into the little boy’s eyes and said it with a very soft voice.

He held tight Anakin’s hand. Anakin held back Ben’s hand so tight, but he couldn’t resist it, so he threw his arms around Ben. He leaned on Ben’s shoulder and started crying harder.

“Shh, don’t cry, little one.”

Ben stroked his soft blond hair. 

“It’s gonna be alright.”

The cold wind blew, and it was getting intense.

It made Ben’s dark blonde hair messy, and it hid his face, but he left it as it is.

Anakin’s body was still small. However, he was heavy enough to make Ben feel the weight of him. And it was also the weight of his responsibility for taking care of this little boy. 

_From now on, I’m protecting him._

_I am the only person he can rely on._

Ben took a deep breath.

“…Let’s go home, Anakin.”

He stood up with kept holding Anakin’s hand.

He turned his back on the tombstone and started walking with Anakin. 

Ben didn’t cry. 

─────

Somehow, Ben didn’t feel that Anakin was totally stranger to him. He felt like he had known Anakin for a long time. 

And also, Ben didn’t feel he can handle his new life with a little, cute, but frighteningly active kid. Anakin was a very naughty and curious boy. He asked many questions and talked so much, and always running around like an excited puppy. 

Ben really wondered where that energy was in that little body. 

Ben was spending much of his time and energy on Anakin, but he still had many things to do, and that made him exhausted. Even while Anakin was at school, he had no time to rest. 

Ben didn’t expect to lose his foster father so soon, but he also didn’t expect to have a kid in his twenties without any partner.

Even though Ben’s foster father left them a fortune, raising a kid while continuing his study was tough for him. 

But he didn’t say anything to Anakin. Ben didn’t want Anakin to feel like he was a burden for him. 

Because Ben had felt the same way. He was 13 years old when he was adopted, and he was working so hard to prove his value to stay with his adopted father. 

Ben scolded him when needed, but he wanted to keep him free as much as possible.

_Just doing my best. That’s all I’ve got to do._

Ben said it to himself in his head. 

And he looked at the corner of the room.

They now moved and lived in a new place, but there were some cardboard boxes that were still full of their stuff.

Some of them haven't even been opened yet.

Ben sighed and began to work on opening and organizing them.

─────

Sometimes, Ben’s old friends came to his place and took care of his new family instead of him. 

One of his friends, Satine, had a complicated history and relationship with Ben. But even after all of them, she loved him and worried about him.

When Ben opened his house door for Satine and said “Hi,” the first words she said to him were, “When was the last time you slept?”

(Ben’s other friend, Quin, said “Ben! You look like hell!”)

Satine played board games and puzzles with Anakin, and sometimes they did crafts together. 

After Satine was gone, Anakin grinned and asked Ben, "Was she your ex-girlfriend?" But Ben just rolled his eyes and said, "whatever, brush your teeth before going to bed.”

Quin often took Anakin out of his house to play. He was as energetic as Anakin.

When Anakin came home, he said with a shimmering eye, "Today, I've been on an adventure!"

One day, after Anakin has finally fallen asleep, Satine and Ben were drinking quietly in the living room. 

“I’m worried about you. You don’t have to do everything by yourself.”

Satine said with a concerned air.

“Thank you, my dear. I’m fine.”

Ben said it in a calm voice, but Satine held his cheek with her hands, and made him look at her.

“I mean it, Ben. You can count on me. Not only me, other people too. You get it?”

Ben nodded. But he knew it was not easy to do. 

Ben was not used to relying on others. It was difficult for him to show his weakness and ask someone for help, even if it was his close friend.

“I know you’re not good at it.”

Ben was slightly surprised when Satine said so.

She really knew about what Ben is like well. 

“But you should better try it.”

“I got it. I’ll try it.”

Ben gave her a kiss on the cheek. 

Satine smiled with satisfaction. 

Thanks to their help, Ben could do his research and take a rest. Ben appreciated his friend’s supports. He wasn’t sure if he could have done it if he didn’t have them.

─────

Sometimes, Ben went out to the little garden and lay on a chair.

He looked up at the night sky and stared at the stars so quietly. 

“Is the universe calling you?”

Anakin made a joke while getting close to him, and stand in next to the chair. 

Ben just said “Um-hum” to him.

“You came from the other planet, didn’t you?”

After Anakin made another joke, there was a silence for a few seconds, and Ben replied in a quiet voice.

“You may be right.”

_That could be true._

Ben thought so. 

He sometimes felt something is not right. He couldn’t get away from the idea that he was supposed to be somewhere that not here. 

On the other side, he felt that living with Anakin is right for him. 

“Is something wrong?”

Anakin’s voice pulled him out from his thoughts. 

“No, it’s fine. I was… thinking about something.”

Anakin wasn’t seemed to be convinced at all. 

Ben wanted to sigh.

“Anakin, don’t look at me like that. I’m not telling you what I was thinking because I don’t want to. It's just… hard to explain. ” 

Anakin looked into Ben’s eyes, and he sighted like giving up to push it anymore.

“Fineee. Then let’s get back to the inside. It’s getting cold.”

“Right.”

_Who could I tell this weird feeling?_

Ben said it in his head.

_How could I explain what do I feel when I don’t understand what is that at all?_

“Maybe I had been kidnapped and captured by space pirates or something,” Ben tried to say that, but he thought Anakin would not laugh at the bad joke, and for some reason, he felt like it was not a joke, so he did not say that.

─────

One night, he woke up by Anakin’s strained voice. 

“Ben. Please wake up.”

“Anakin?”

Ben got up and rubbed his eyes.

“Are you alright?”

Anakin seemed okay, but also upset.

The idea that Ben woke up too late passed his head.

“Oh boy, you don’t tell me I overslept.”

“What? No, no. It’s 3 a.m.”

“Ahh, I’m relieved to hear that. Then what’s wrong?”

Anakin seemed he hesitated to say it. 

“Did you have… a nightmare?”

Ben tilted his head inquiringly, so Anakin added some explanation. 

“You were speaking a different language. I don’t know what was it, but I’m sure I’ve never heard you spoke it before.”

Ben gave him a confused look.

“Ahh…did I?”

“Don’t you remember? Anything?”

“I’m afraid not.”

Anakin still looked a little uneasy, so Ben stroked Anakin’s head.

“I'm sorry for waking you up. It’s nothing. Maybe it was just a strange dream or something.”

Ben out of bed and tapped Anakin’s back.

“Now back to bed, Ani.”

But he refused to move from there and stared at Ben.

“Ben?”

“Yes?”

“Do you want me to stay with you tonight?”

Ben laughed a little. 

“That’s very sweet of you. Thank you. But it’s okay.”

He might dream again and say something, so he couldn’t put Anakin to sleep by his side. 

He took dissatisfied Anakin to his room and let him sleep. 

He closed the door of Anakin’s room and walked down the hallway. But he did not feel like to return his room, and he was not sure if he can sleep again tonight. So Ben sneaked into the kitchen to make a cup of tea.

He was wondering what kind of dream he had and what did he say.

─────

Years later, Ben stroked the beard that had begun to grow.

He intended to be a teacher. He liked teaching students and seeing their growth.

He was looking for some books in the library to write a treatise.

And when Ben was reading a book, he found a word that he didn’t know. 

_"Saudade."_

_A vague cravings for something that does not exist, or a nostalgia for someone or something that one loved but lost._

When Ben read that part of the book, he was shocked.

_Wasn't I the only one who felt this kind of thing?_

_The words that express these feelings existed in the world._

Ben was no stranger to the sense of absence and the sadness of something missing. 

He was named Ben, but he lived with the feeling that "this must not my real name".

And he always had a thought that he had an unfulfilled promise somewhere in his heart.

He felt like he promised something with someone.

_But with who?_

He never had an answer of this question. 

He promised his foster father to raise Anakin. But he felt that there was another, the older promise that was promised a long time ago.

_When I met Anakin, I had the feeling that I was able to meet the person I should meet. And still, something is missing._

Ben knew that he had to meet someone. He had been waiting for that time has come.

But at the same time, he also felt that the person had been lost a long time ago, same as the “promise”.

He was sure that he would not be able to wipe out his sense of incompleteness within his heart without getting answers about what these feelings were.

However, Ben did not know how to get those, and he did not even know how to explain it to someone. 

Ben slowly closed the book and looked at the beautiful cover.

He hoped that he could find the answer someday.

─────

When Anakin turned a late teenager, he got more crabby than before.

One day, he said he would stay at his friend's house, so Ben went out to the bar to drink with his friend, Bale.

Bale was a friend of Padome, who was Ben’s friend and Anakin’s first love.

And he was a little older than Ben, and a good friend.

He was smart, and Ben got along with him well.

They didn’t have many chances to meet so frequently, but they’ve built a good relationship.

At first, they had small talk, and from there they talked about various things, such as about the books that they recently read, and about the points to be improved in the education system, etc.

Ben drank more than usual, so his face was faintly getting red. 

“It’s unusual to see you drinking so much. You must have had a stressful week, didn’t you?”

Bail was noticing it, and he indirectly asked Ben, “Is something wrong?” 

Ben was not going to talk about Anakin this night. But Bail was not too close to him, so it was easy to talk about him.

And alcohol made him a little talkative person.

Or maybe he just wanted someone to lend an ear to his anxiety.

“It’s just… about Anakin. He has become difficult recently. Now, It’s hard to understand him anymore.

Why doesn’t he listen to me? …No, that is what he’s always done, but… It’s getting worse these days.”

Ben drunk the last of his drink and put the glass down a little strongly. 

He ordered another drink and received it.

“I don’t know what to do. How do the parents in the world get through that kind of thing?”

“You’re doing well, Ben.”

Ben said, “thank you” to his friend, and he continued.

“It’s not like I want to control him. I’m not trying to make him obey me.”

Ben drunk his drink and continued his words.

“I just want him to be able to live even if I’m gone.”

“…Why do you think like that?”

Bail asked him delicately. 

“Ah, you know, my adopted father passed away suddenly. No one knows what will happen in their lives. I want him to be a person having skills to live himself.”

Ben said so as if it was not a big deal.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if the day that he has to live without me come suddenly.”

Then he looked a little thoughtful and added.

“I mean, if I were dead, I can’t be surprised anyway.”

At any time, he tries to keep his sense of humor. 

“…Have you talked about that with him?”

Bail’s words made Ben smile weakly. 

“It too heavy topic, don’t you think so? I don’t want to put him under such pressure. He is still young.” 

Bail wanted to sigh. 

_Why is he so awkward?_

Ben obviously loves and cares for his little brother, but he himself doesn’t know that.

While Bail was thinking about that, Ben placed his head down on the table and muttered.

“I want to do the best thing for Anakin. I want him to have a good life, you know…”

“I think it would better to have a chance to talk about what you think with him.”

“Yeah, I think so too. But recently, he doesn’t letting me even talk with him.”

“I guess…he is about to be adolescent.”

“Ahh, yes, I’m sure it will be harder…”

Ben lifted his face up and tried to order another drink, but Bail stopped him.

“You should stop drinking, Ben.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Ben.”

“Okay.”

Ben put his chin on his hand, and fiddled with the empty glass with his other hand. 

“I have to see someone, Bail.”

Ben’s words were slurred. Bail thought he reached his limits, and Bail had no idea what his friend started talking about. 

“You mean… you want to date with someone?”

“Nooo, that's not what I meant. I’m waiting for someone.”

Ben spoke slow way. 

He seemed started talking about a completely different topic from the previous one, so Bail had no clue what this was about.

“O~~…kay? So, you are waiting for your… destiny?”

“Umm, yeahh, something like that…”

Ben let out a little laugh.

“That sounds so romantic. Haha. But that’s not such a sweet thing… I’m tired of waiting for him! When will he show up!?”

His voice suddenly got louder, so Bail was a bit surprised. 

It was the first time he saw Ben like this, so he thought he might have laughed if they were in a different situation.

Bail tried to calm his friend down. He tapped his shoulder with saying, “Easy, easy…” in a low tone. 

Bale took the glass from Ben’s hand before he breaks it or drops it on the floor.

“Please tell me more about that. He? Is that person a man?”

He asked it with a soothing tone.

“I don’t know. Maybe? I don’t even know the gender.”

“Huh.”

“And it doesn’t bother me.”

“I get it.” 

_Maybe he is a more romantic person than I’d been thought._

Bail thought so.

“Whoever the person is, I hope you can meet your fated person soon.”

“Oh, thank you, Bail…You’re always kind…”

Bail was always compassionate and kind. 

He put his hand on Ben’s back. 

He recalled his adopted father. Ben guessed that Bail’s tall height and big hand remind him of his adopted father. 

_Had he ever comfort me like this？With such softness?_

Ben shook his head —at least he tried to do.

_I must drunk too much. That’s why I’m thinking like this way. I’m thinking about such meaningless things because of alcohol._

After Ben said something in his mouth, he fell asleep. 

Bail stroked his drunk friend’s back.

_He really should take a rest._

Bail finally sighed.

He wanted “the person” to meet Ben and make him happy. 

_He deserved it._

After he said it in his mind, Bail took his cellphone from his pocket and called a cab. 

─────

Anakin’s puberty was so tough. When he was going through a rebellious age, he didn’t like almost everything about the world (except his favorite lady, Padome).

He started going outside while dark, and sometimes hang out with kind of the bad guys. 

They have often quarreled lately.

Ben went back to his room and sat down on the bed heavily. He covered his face with both hands. 

On this day, Anakin said, "You are not even my real parent!" to him. Ben remembered it and sighed.

_In a way, I never had a ‘real’ parent neither. But is it matter?_

Ben thought so, but he didn’t say that out loud. 

He made a small moan. 

Ben wondered if he lacked his expression of affection. 

_Wasn't I enough for him?_

Ben loves Anakin so deeply, but he didn’t know how to express that to him. 

His foster father was so kind, and Ben liked him and really appreciated him. 

But he was not the type of person who shows his affection so much.

Ben wanted to show Anakin how he cares about him, but it was difficult for him to figure out how to give something that wasn’t given to himself. 

Ben sighed deeply again, and then he got a fleeting view of the picture on the shelf. He was exhausted, but he couldn’t help smiling when he saw young Anakin laughing in the picture.

He stood up, and walked into his cozy study room.

There was a lot of stuff about Anakin on display. 

The paintings he gave Ben when he was a kid.

The planes were made of clay and wood.

A photograph of his entrance ceremony. 

Ben thought if Anakin saw these, he would be ashamed or angry and say don’t keep these. So Ben kept all of the things in this room. 

Now Anakin was taller than Ben and no longer blonde.

His voice was lower than before, and he is becoming an adult. 

And Anakin became rebellious, but Ben remembered the happy memories with him. 

For Ben, Anakin was still his little brother, and Ben knew he was actually a soft and sweet boy. 

_Everything’s gonna be all right._

Ben had already lost count of the times that he had said this to himself.

In truth, somewhere in his heart, he wanted someone to say that to him. But he had continued to pretend not to see his own feelings.

─────

One night, Anakin and Ben started argued over something trivial. But it developed into an acrimonious quarrel. 

“You don’t trust me, don’t you?”

Anakin said in a frustrated voice.

“I’m just trying to protect you.”

“I’m not a child anymore!”

Anakin snarled angrily, and headed to the entrance door. 

“Anakin! Where are you going?”

“It’s not your business! Why do you pretend as you care about me?”

“What? I’m not pretending--”

“You never understand me, so leave me alone!”

“Hey, listening to me…”

“Don’t tell me what to do!”

Anakin was about to go outside, but Ben stood in his way.

“You’re not gonna going outside. We have to talk. Please, talk to me. What’s wrong with you?”

Anakin glared at Ben with outraged eyes.

“I hate you, Ben!” 

Ben tried to say something, but at that moment, his vision turned red. It flickered like a flame.

He heard double voices, and these were the same voices of —Anakin. 

_I hate you!_

His shouted voice was echoing through Ben’s head.

_I have failed you._

Ben couldn’t figure out why, but the voice kept saying that. The voice sounded familiar, and he noticed that it was his own voice.

_Now, everything will collapse._

He didn’t know where the thoughts came from, but that broke his heart. Ben knew he should say something to Anakin, but he couldn’t even say a word. 

Ben suddenly became quiet, and Anakin was staring at him with a confused facial expression, but he thrust his aside and run out of their house. 

_I have to chase after him_.

Ben thought, but couldn’t even move. He looked down and noticed his hands were shaking slightly. 

_Calm down._

He closed his eyes, and told himself.

_That was nothing. It was not so unusual thing these days._

He couldn’t understand why was he got so upset by Anakin’s words, but he knew that it was not only because of his words. He got upset by other things too, but he didn’t know what they were. 

_It’s no time to getting shocked!_

Ben gripped his shaking hand with the other. He felt the coldness of his hand on his arm, but for some reason, he felt it was too hot here as if he was surrounded by magma.

_I must stop him. I have to bring him back to home._

_If Anakin goes on like this, he would be got in some trouble someday._

Ben opened his eyes, and forced himself to move his body. He managed to get to the door, put on his shoes, and went out to the night city in search of his little brother. 

─────

And Ben’s thought was right. 

When Ben found Anakin after searching through the city, Anakin was surrounded by hoodlums in the back alleys.

Ben frowned when he saw Anakin slightly injured in his face. And Ben thought he heard the disturbing word, “drug” in the hoodlum's conversation. 

They were trying to take Anakin somewhere, so Ben run into them. He fought them to let Anakin escape.

He was very surprised that Ben had appeared, but he pulled himself together soon and ran to get someone for help. 

Ben knocked out some, and the rest of them ran away with their companions. Even though Ben was strong, he was injured because there were multiple people. 

He sat on the ground, but he couldn’t against the gravity and fatigue, so he lay on his back. 

Besides, he was feeling dizzy. He wondered if he had a concussion because he was beaten.

He looked up at the night sky and had thought about Anakin, although his consciousness was muzzy. 

_Did I put how important he is to me into words?_

Ben felt his punched right cheek aching, but he wasn't paying attention to it.

“Maybe that was what I had to do…”

He muttered it. 

_When he comes back, I'll talk to him and tell him what I think of him._

_I hope it wasn’t too late to convey the love this time…_

That thought came to Ben's mind.

_…“This time”?_

Ben had a doubt about the enigmatic idea, but he could not think about it anymore.

He was feeling his eyelids were getting heavier.

Ben just wanted to rest, so he closed his eyes.

_Today was one of the hardest days in my life…_

That was the last thought he had before he lost consciousness.

─────

When Ben woke up on the hospital bed, he grimaced at the bright light. But when he found Anakin sitting in the chair right next to him and sleeping, Ben broke into a small smile. Anakin had a bandage on his face, but he looked fine.

Ben was so glad and relieved to see Anakin’s face and find out that his boy was safe and here.

He gently tapped Anakin's arm and woke him up.

The moment he woke up, he looked at Ben and opened his eyes wide. He was too surprised to say something, so an incomprehensible noise was uttered from his mouth. 

“Hello there, Anakin. Are you alright?” 

Ben asked it with a little humor. 

But he really wanted to make sure Anakin was not seriously injured, just in case.

Contrary to what Ben expected of his reaction, Anakin had tears in his eyes and looked like he was about to cry.

They both tried to say something to each other, but at that moment, a nurse walking down the hallway noticed Ben awakened, and she talked to them. 

After the nurse checked Ben and gave him some water, she told them that his injury was not serious and he could be discharged soon.

After Ben and Anakin said thank you to her, and she left the room, neither of them said anything. 

There was silence in the room for a while, but finally, Ben started to speak to Anakin.

“Anakin.”

With that said, he reached out and took Anakin's hands.

He did not resist at all, but kept looking down.

“Anakin, look at me.”

Anakin looked awkward, but he raised his face and stared at Ben as he said.

Ben spoke in a very soft, but also serious voice.

“I’ve always been treasured you. I had loved you, and I always do. No matter what happens, it won’t be changed. 

I’m sorry, I should have told you this more. I just… I didn’t know how to tell it to you.”

Ben clasped Anakin's hands to convey his feelings.

“No, no no no…”

Anakin said it while shaking his head, and he stood up from the chair without thinking. 

“You don’t need to apologize to me. That was all my fault, not yours. I’m the one who should apologize.”

Anakin couldn’t hold back tears anymore, and he busted into tears.

“Ben, I’m sorry. I was wrong. I’ll never do that stupid thing again. And…I’m sorry for everything I said to you. I didn’t mean it… I don’t hate you.”

“Ani…”

Anakin wiped his face on his shirt sleeve and said the words that they couldn’t say to each other. 

“I love you, Ben.”

Ben smiled gently. 

“I love you too, Anakin.” 

As soon as Anakin heard his words, he held Ben’s body. 

Ben said “Wow” because he was surprised at Anakin’s sudden hug and how heavy he was. 

And Ben laughed.

“You’ve really grown.”

While saying that, he mussed up Anakin’s dark-colored hair. 

Ben remembered the day when his foster father passed away. Anakin was crying and clinging just the same as now.

But there were the differences. Anakin was much heavier than that time, and Ben's heart was lighter than that time.

"Anakin?"

He spoke to Anakin, who was still crying.

"What?"

“From now, I may be getting taller and be taller than you."

Anakin laughed in a tearful voice at what Ben said.

“Hey, why are you laughing? I’m serious.”

Ben said so, but he was laughing too. 

Their laughter echoed quietly in the white-walled hospital room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!  
> You might be wondering where is Cody, but I'm wondering it too.  
> I didn't plan to write this part so long, but I couldn't stop writing, so, yeah. I hope you enjoyed it.  
> Ben's fated person will appear in the next chapter! I hope!
> 
> *I'm still learning English, so if you found a grammatical error or something, please let me know! :)


	2. Chapter 2

After the “incident”, Anakin seemed completely changed his mind. Ben thought Anakin thought “the puberty is enough, it’s done” or learned something from through experience. 

Anakin stopped going out anymore in the middle of the night. 

He decided to go to college, so he studied hard. Ben sometimes helped him study.

When Anakin’s efforts paid off, and he passed the entrance exam, he held Ben’s hands and jumped with joy. 

Ben was also so pleased and kissed Anakin’s cheek.

“I’m so proud of you.”

Ben beamed proudly, and Anakin made his blush and laughed. 

At around the same time, they met a bright and cheerful girl, Ahsoka. She has moved to their neighborhood with his father, Plo. 

Plo had delicate eyes, so he almost always wearing sunglasses. 

Ben was so surprised the day Ben and Anakin first met them.

Because Plo was a friend of Ben's foster father, so Ben and he had met several times.

Ben and Anakin became close family friends with them. And Ahsoka was like Anakin’s sister.

She comes and stays at their house, and play with Anakin. Ahsoka made him help with her homework, and they hang out and sometimes go to the concert event together. 

One day, Ahsoka came to Ben’s house to share some dishes that she and Plo made too much with them.

She gave Anakin a plate and then looked at herself in a small mirror and said.

“My makeup is on fleek today! I changed my makeup a little. Can you tell me what’s different? ”

Ahsoka had some white patches on her face, and she loved to draw white lines around them like a wing. 

When she laughed, it moves like the flapping wing, and Ben thought it charming. 

“Ahh, yeah, you look great. But to be honest, I have no idea what’s the difference.”

“Really? Ahh, I don’t know why a nice person like Padome is dating you.”

“Heyyy.”

Anakin looked dissatisfied, but he changed his facial expression as if he recalled something. 

“Oh, yeah! I just remembered, did you ask Ben about tomorrow?”

“Not yet. I forgot about it.”

Anakin turned his face to Ben and spoke a little louder.

“Ben, can we use the kitchen tomorrow?”

Ben looked up from the book he was reading.

“Yes, of course. What are you gonna make?” 

“We’ll make some sweets.”

Anakin said and showed Ben a picture of the sweets on his cell phone. 

“That’s good. But just so you know, you can’t use salt instead of sugar.”

When Ahsoka heard Ben’s words, she burst out laughing.

“I know! I won’t make the same mistake. But thank you for telling me that, PROFESSOR.”

Anakin deliberately emphasized Ben's profession.

Ben also laughed.

“The thing we made last time really sucked.”

Ahsoka had her blue and white hair in two pigtails, and she was twirling the ends of her hair while talking. 

“Hey, it wasn’t all my fault. You didn’t notice it too!”

Anakin talked back to her.

They were bickering about that, but they looked like fun.

Ben was looking at them with a smile. 

Anakin had not often invited friends over and play with them, so Ben was glad to see Ahsoka and Anakin getting along, and it was heartwarming for him.

─────

On the other day, they had a movie night at Ben’s house.

They watched a movie about the war because Ahsoka had to watch it for her homework. 

They sat on the couch and watching it while eating snacks. 

Ben began to feel uncomfortable while watching the movie. 

Ben knitted his eyebrows a little, and he automatically stroked his beard.

On the screen, the soldiers were shot and fell to the ground.

_I’ve seen this. That happened in front of me._

He felt a strange sense like what he felt the night he quarreled with Anakin.

The soldiers were desperately screaming in the movie, and Ben felt like he heard the same kind of voices somewhere.

But the other sound he heard in his head was not a gunshot, but a weird sound, like shooting a beam.

A blue light flickered in Ben’s vision with a buzzing sound.

_I must fight. I protect them. I don't let them die._

_I can’t lose him!_

Ben’s heart was shouting so. 

_─But who is “he”?_

He felt his hands were sweating a little, and he squeezed them. His stomach became heavy, and his mouth got dry.

Ben stood up from the couch and walked to the fridge.

He took out a bottle of water and pressed it on his face.

_I don’t even know who “he” is, his face, or even his name._

He tried to feel the coldness of the bottle to get focus on his thinking.

_But one thing was certain._

_I didn’t want to lose “him”. I wanted to protect “him” whatever it takes._

Ben twisted the cap off, and swallowed a sip of water. 

_Then why does it hurt so much? Did I lose “him”?_

Ben could not understand anything about that. 

He just looked at the TV screen, and heard Ahsoka’s surprised voice by the movie. 

─────

Ben woke up on the couch.

Then he remembered that he was working on paperwork there and passed out last night without knowing it. 

And he noticed that Anakin put a blanket on him. And also, Ben noticed that his eyes were moist for some reason, so he rubbed them. 

When Ben was wondering if he had a sad dream or something, Anakin just came into the living room.

"Good morning. Thank you for the blanket."

"Mornin’. Yeah, no problem…”

Anakin stared at Ben while combing his messy hair by hand.

"Ben, are you okay?"

"Why? I’m fine. Do I look not okay? I slept for at least 6 hours."

Ben stood with his knees on the couch and put his arm on the backrest.

Anakin was still looking at Ben's face as if he was looking for something.

“Am I forgetting something? Today is the day to go shopping with Ahsoka, right?"

“Yes, you don’t forget anything. It’s not like that…”

Ben waited for Anakin to continue, but he said something unexpected.

"Can you say ‘I'm sorry’ in other languages?"

"Why? Lo siento.”

"Try another one."

"Je suis désolé? Anakin, what is this?"

Ben was totally confused, and Anakin still had a face that he didn’t get the right answer.

"Hmm, never mind. I was just... worried about you."

"Ah, thank you for your concern?"

Ben did not understand what that was, but he just thanked him anyhow.

"Okay, so, let’s get ready to go out."

Anakin said so, and Ben nodded.

─────

Ahsoka wanted to buy a present for her father, so they went shopping.

Every time she found a candidate for a gift, she asked Ben whether or not her father would be happy if he got it. 

Ben was an adult and Plo’s friend, so she referred to his opinion.

She did not take Anakin's advice so much, and he became a luggage carrier in the end.

After Ahsoka found the best gift and got it, they shopped around and bought some stuff, such as the decoration of the Christmas tree.

After all the shopping, they were walking under the light blue sky.

Not so many people were walking, but the streets were flooded with colorful lights of decoration, and Christmas songs were playing somewhere.

"It's almost Christmas!"

Ahsoka said happily. 

“Oh, yeah. And it’s damn cold!”

“Language, Anakin.”

When Ben said so, Anakin shrugged his shoulders. 

“But, Ben… I can’t help saying that. Why is that so cold?

Oh, don’t say ‘Because it’s winter.’ I know.”

“Why don’t you go to the beach on the opposite side of the earth? And make a sandcastle with your love, Padome.”

Ahsoka made fun of Anakin as usual.

“I don’t like sand, Ahsoka. You know that.”

Anakin made a moody voice, and Ahsoka was laughing. 

Anakin rubbed his hands.

“Hey, why don’t we eat something hot and then go home. I know a nice place of clam chowder around here.”

“That sounds good. But how about the coffee shop? They just came out with new drinks.” 

Ahsoka said so and looked back at Ben.

“What do you think?”

“Umm, I…”

In the middle of his words, Ben suddenly stopped.

And he looked around wonderingly.

“Ben?”

“What’s wrong?”

Anakin and Ahsoka said it simultaneously, but Ben was confused, so he was slightly lost for words.

“I just…I thought I heard something.”

“What was that?”

Anakin asked, and Ben just shook his head a little.

“I don’t know, but I felt like someone called me…”

Ben turned around while saying that.

At the moment, his eyes met the eyes of a man standing a little bit away from him.

A man with a scar on his face was staring at Ben, and he said the one word again.

“General?”

Ben heard the man’s voice clearly this time, and he felt he knew this voice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .  
> .  
> Finally, they met!!  
> (Anakin was behaving a bit weirdly, but I'm going to write another story that was seen from Anakin's point of view, so you'll see what that was there.)
> 
> *I'm still learning English, so if you found a grammatical error or something, please let me know! :)  
> 


	3. Chapter 3

“General?”

When Ben heard that word, he was a little surprised and wanted to laugh.

Some of his friends called him a “walking-encyclopedia” in jest, but would call him a “general”? 

But any words did not come out from his mouth. 

Ben could not take his eyes from the unknown man.

He had undercut black hair, and had a scar on his left side of his face.

He was frowning in confusion.

_I know him._

Ben strongly felt it.

_I know him. Why do I feel so? Why do I know him? Who is he—_

“—Obi-wan.”

Just as Ben heard the word that man said, he let out a gasp.

He felt a shock as if he had been shot straight through his heart. 

“…Cody?”

Ben said that without thinking anything. The word came out from his mouth naturally.

He approached the man with some hesitation.

“Is that… you?”

Ben stood right in front of him.

They reached out their hands for each other subconsciously, and touched them.

And then, suddenly the noises of the street faded away.  
Ben could not hear the Christmas songs or the voices of people chatting in the distance anymore.  
The only sound he could hear was the one voice.

_──After the war. I get it. I promise._

Ben recalled the voice of the man in front of him said. And when Ben blinked, he saw the same man, but with short hair and white and orange armor.

The background was not the street that they are in now, but a light gray wall. It was like the inside of a spaceship.

That was a trigger, And the emotions and images came surging up in his mind like floodwater.

There were many people wearing white and orange colored armor similar to the man, and some were wearing white and blue colored armor. 

They saluted with a respectful look.

Anakin and Ahsoka were there too. 

_We were all together._

Ben's heart was throbbing heavily.

He stared at the man without blinking his eyes.

_──My name was Obi-wan._

_This man's name was Cody._

_He was my best friend._

He remembered the look when Cody scolded him, for worrying about him, and when he was talking something seriously, and a fond smile.

Ben—Obi-wan knew how gentle and soft his eyes looked when he laughed.

_Cody was the person I wanted to protect._

_I trusted him. I loved him with all my heart._

_The someone I’ve been looking for all of my life was he._

_I made the promise with him._

_We swore to survive, and meet again after the war._

_We swore to celebrate the end of the war together._

These were all his memories.

It was fragmentary, but everything ran through his mind in an instant. 

It was like a flash of light shining brightly on his heart.

What Obi-Wan remembered and felt were sadness and despair. But there were also joy, happiness, and undying love.

Obi-wan was overwhelmed by all of the things that were suddenly brought back to his mind. It made him wobbled a bit, but Cody held his arm and body and firmly supported him. 

Cody was still holding Obi-wan's arm, but he loosened his hand a little.

“Obi-wan, I-I’m sorry. What I did to you was…” 

Cody said in a trembling voice with grimacing painfully.

“It’s alright. I know, Cody. I know.”

Obi-wan shook his head and clasped Cody's hand, but his voice was also unstable.

He could not recall what Cody did to him exactly, and all he could remember was that he felt pain and betrayal.  
But Obi-wan remembered he figured out that whatever happened, it was not Cody's fault at some point in his life.

In the back of his mind, Obi-wan knew that Cody would never betray him. 

In the end, he wasn't resenting him, he was just sad that he broke with him and that they were forced to take different paths.

Obi-Wan stared at Cody's face.

He had the same face as he used to, but his eyes brimmed with tears now.

Obi-wan tried to say something, but he felt a lump in his throat so that it was hard to do.

"Cody, I..."

_I just wanted to see you again._

_I’ve always missed you._

_I wanted to apologize to you._

_I wanted to see your face, touch your skin, and call your name again._

He wanted to say all of these, but he couldn’t. 

_Now, Cody is here. He is in front of me._

At the moment Obi-wan thought so, the tears fell from his eyes unknowingly.

He could not stop it, and the tears kept overflowing down his face.

His vision got blurred, and he felt like smothering.

At the same time, they clung fiercely to each other.

Obi-Wan hugged Cody tightly, and he hugged him back as strong as he did.

Cody put a comforting hand on the back of Obi-wan’s head, and stroked his soft honey blonde hair.

He touched Obi-wan so tenderly, and that made him sobs harder.

“I... waited for you for a long time. I’ve wanted to see you again.”

Obi-wan managed to say it in tears.

Cody also couldn't stop sobbing, but he smiled and said.

“I've wanted to see you again too. But we promised, remember?

Now I got you, Obi-wan.”

Cody held Obi-wan’s shoulders and pulled him off gently.

“I won’t leave you. Not this time.”

Cody said, and Obi-wan nodded slowly. 

They gazed at each other with blue eyes and amber eyes.

Their eyes were still wet in tears, but these were sparkling with joy and hope.

It was like a far-off day that they made a promise.

Cody placed his hand on Obi-wan’s cheek.

“An kebise cuyi ori’jate.”

He said in a soft voice that was filled with deep love.

Obi-wan smiled while crying.

He knew this language. 

He remembered that they used to talk in this language sometimes, and it made him feel nostalgic.

"Ni kar'tayl."

Obi-wan gave Cody a serene look, and said "I know."

He knew that he could believe what his beloved friend said.

_Everything’s gonna be all right._

And it was the first time that Ben—Obi-wan was able to believe it. 

They pressed their foreheads against each other's, like an old greeting or ritual.

They had longed for the end of the long, and dark time.

They had waited for the dawn of a new hopeful world, and a peaceful future that they can laugh together.

And they had it now.

Obi-wan breathed in the crisp air.

He was happy from the bottom of his heart, and he smiled radiantly. 

He no longer felt a sense of absence and sadness.

He was not alone anymore.

Finally, they were able to fulfill the promise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .  
> .  
> .  
> Thank you for reading!  
> I wanted to write this chapter by Christmas, and I made it!  
> This fanfiction was supposed to be a one-shot to make them meet again and happy, so I don't really think about what I'm going to write from here. Maybe they would have dinner together? Or dancing together?  
> (And while Obi-wan and Cody were talking and crying, Ahsoka and Anakin were looking at them with the "What the heck is going on?" faces. I intend to write about them someday.)
> 
> Happy holidays! And have a great rest of the year.


End file.
